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The only inscribed stone portrait of Emperor Ashoka has been found at
Explanation
The only inscribed stone portrait of Emperor Ashoka was discovered at Kanaganahalli, which is part of the Sannati Buddhist site in the Kalaburagi district of Karnataka [2]. Excavations at this site revealed a relief sculpture depicting the Mauryan King Ashoka along with his queen and attendants. Crucially, the sculpture features a Brahmi inscription that reads 'Ranyo Ashoka' (King Ashoka), making it the first and only identified portrait of the emperor with an accompanying label. While Ashoka's edicts are found across the Indian subcontinent, including at Sanchi and Girnar, those inscriptions typically lack visual representations of the king himself [3]. The Kanaganahalli stupa relief is a landmark discovery in Indian art history, providing a rare visual record of the monarch who played a pivotal role in the spread of Buddhism.
Sources
- [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashoka
- [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanaganahalli